Mission Viejo, Santa Margarita girls standouts combine for impressive 4x800 relay, second-fastest in meet history

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Two of the elite track and field programs in Southern California combined their top middle distance talent Friday for Orange County Heat and the result was one of the most impressive performances in the history of the Nike Boise Indoor.

Mission Viejo's Cierra Johnson, Ashley Johnson and Morgan Calcagnie teamed with Santa Margarita's Gwyn George to clock 9 minutes, 17.79 seconds in the girls 4x800 relay on Jacksons Track at Idaho Ford Center, the second-fastest time in meet history, trailing only the 9:14.86 by Davis UT in 2013.  VIDEO INTERVIEW

It was the fastest 4x800 time by a prep club team in the country this year and the No. 4 mark overall, including lineups featuring four athletes from the same high school.

George anchored in 2:14.36 for Orange County Heat, which won by more than 25 seconds.

Rocky Mountain's Dylan Palmer, Ashton Siwek and Gavin Pollock teamed with Borah's Siyad Matan to lead YMCA Team Idaho to victory in the boys 4x800 relay in 8:11.56. After losing to Davis UT last year, YMCA Team Idaho rebounded to win by nearly a minute.

Lake Oswego OR junior Maddie DeBorde produced a lifetime-best long jump of 19 feet (5.79m) on her final attempt to edge Step Ur Game Up teammate Judith Baxter Game of Grant OR, who took the lead with a leap of 18-10.75 (5.75m) in the fifth round.

Ryan Tennant of Summit OR, representing Mondo Track, won the boys long jump with a third-round leap of 23-0.75 (7.02m).

Emma Gates, an eighth-grader at Cascade Middle School in Oregon competing for Salem Track, won the girls high jump with a 5-5 clearance (1.65m), prevailing based on fewer misses over Tori Sloan of Mountain View High and Idaho Dash Track Club. Gates, who has the top clearance in the country among eighth-graders, captured the USATF Junior Olympic National high jump title in the 11-12 division in 2016.

Post Falls ID junior Tyler Trengove cleared 6-8.25 (2.04m) to win the boys high jump.

Reed NV senior Alysia Allen, representing Raise the Bar, had a 12-3.50 (3.75m) clearance to win the girls pole vault.

Joshua Mertz of Middleton ID and Empire Track Club won the boys weight throw with a final-round effort of 56-2 (17.11m).

Nevada's Pendola Project swept the boys and girls 2-mile races, with Aric Turner of Damonte Ranch clocking 9:53.89 and Alexis Melendrez of Spanish Springs prevailing in 11:28.61.

Nathan Kaufusi of Syracuse UT won the boys 200 in 22.39, with Deborah Grant of Green Valley NV capturing the win in the girls 200 in 25.79.